Watching Them
by oXXb00kw0rmXXo
Summary: The train was full of the usual cargo of Saturday travelers and shoppers, none of whom paid any attention to the boy and girl sitting by one window, going over odd contents of their backpacks with great care." Someone was watching.


**Well, this is my speculation on something that _could_ have happened (hey, it never says it doesn't!). Okay, it probably didn't happen. Heck, I'm _sure_ it didn't!**

**Anyhow, this is a bit sad. Just a warning! I really enjoyed writing it anyways.**

**Thanks to my beta, padfootvfd, who helped me with the wordings, grammar, some confusing bits, and also gave me some ideas for a couple cute bits. _Note: I don't think you've seen it yet! Enjoy!_**

**I do not own the Young Wizards series, and especially not the dialogue from page 136 (paper back edition, So You Want To Be a Wizard)**

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"The train was full of the usual cargo of Saturday travelers and shoppers, none of whom paid any attention to the boy and girl sitting by one window, going over odd contents of their backpacks with great care."

_**-So You Want To Be A Wizard, page 135, paperback edition**_

"Mom, are we there yet?" Beth asked impatiently. I smiled at her and shushed the twelve year old.

"No, sweetheart, soon. Sh, we don't want to bother other people." She nodded and leaned on my shoulder, staring out the window.

No, we definitely did not want to disturb anyone. In particular we did not want to disturb a young boy and girl entering their teens. They sat a few rows in front of us and were conversing in low tones.

She had long brown hair back then, I remembered. She had just cut it into a more "motherly style" the last time I saw her. In reality, she was mimicking Mom's. She had me cut it in the kitchen, to ensure we got it right. We sat in front of the fridge, our family picture right at eye level. I had recently done my hair similarly. Beth was at despair at my "old person" hairstyle, claiming that none of the cool moms did their hair like that. I liked it. It reminded me of so many people I had lost.

He looked so young. Only a year older than me, I knew. In fact, he was Beth's age now. I hoped with all my heart that he didn't catch her eye. It would just be sick and wrong for her to be crushing after her father. Besides, he only had eyes for the girl right beside him. I winced as I remembered how abruptly his eyes went dull.

They stopped talking suddenly when a little spark of light appeared between them. They exchanged exasperated looks, but it seemed to fade quickly. They were unloading the contents of their bags. I watched intently, waiting for what would happen next.

"Where were we?" the girl asked.

"The battery," her friend responded.

"Right." She bit her lip and dug out said item. "Well here it is."

"Lithium-cadmium?"

"Right. Heavy thing, it weighs more than anything else we've got. That's the last thing for activating the piece of time, isn't it?" He shook his head and corrected her. She pulled out a plastic bag filled with sugar.

This went on and I watched in amusement. One by one, the items for activating the world gate came out of the bags. Every few moments, a flicker would alert my eyes and I just had to smile.

"Mom, who are you watching?" Beth asked quietly, her eyes following my gaze.

"Nobody, honey, just enjoy the ride." I didn't want to get into this with her yet. She was only twelve. She was dissatisfied and I had to suppress a chuckle. They had been right – their daughter was a reincarnation of me. They had said this when she was only two weeks old and determined to lift her head.

"Mom, you don't take me on magic missions for nothing!" she accused and I had to shake my head. It was true, I never took her if I could avoid it. But the babysitter had backed out last minute and I _had_ to use this chance! The Powers that Be had just appointed me an Advisory and given me a chance to go back in time just once. I wasn't allowed to change _anything_, but I wanted to see nonetheless!

"Not now, Beth, later, I promise." I sat back and closed my eyes, struggling to hold back the tears. I didn't cry. Not me. Not Dairine Callahan. Even if I was mourning my sister. She sat up for a moment, still watching the boy and girl with critical eyes.

"Beth?" I asked, wondering what was wrong.

"The clothes… they're so weird!" I laughed and tickled her ribs.

"These are the clothes I grew up in!" I defended.

"But Mom, you're old. Older than me, anyways. What's with the vest she's wearing?" I glanced at my sister and inwardly winced. Yeah, that vest always was a little weird. It was nothing on my Yoda pajamas, though.

"Oh, leave the clothes alone, we'll be home in a few hours. You can put on your space suit and go to Mars or something."

"You'll drive me to Lisa's house?"

"Yes, if you'll cooperate!" She fell silent for a few blissful seconds.

"I found a phone number carved in the rocks the other day. There were a bunch of other drawings, but then you came to pick me up. Wanna see it later?" I bit my lip. No, I didn't want to see it. I knew that Kit had written it there, I knew he loved Mars. No, I didn't want to see it at all. I couldn't lie, so I avoided the question altogether.

"Just relax, sweetie. Fret about your outfit later. "She leaned back again, her head in that odd angle as she tried to rest it on top of my shoulder.

* * *

I shifted their daughter to a more comfortable position on my arm. Of course, they left me with her. I was the godmother, after all. She didn't even know, the poor girl. I didn't mind, though. It was my only chance to have a family. I wasn't ready to fall in love again, especially after what happened to them. She was my daughter as much as I was her mother. That's all that mattered. I love her.

* * *

The Lone Power had gotten Kit. It was terrible, even just remembering it. Kit forbade her to come with him. Nita and I had paced restlessly in the house for _days_, just waiting for news. Bethany, named after our mother, Betty, had been born month ago.

"_You need to be there with her. Stay with her. I'll be back, I promise,"_ he swore and they kissed goodbye. I was standing in the background, simply rocking the baby to sleep.

He came over to me and passed little Beth over to Nita, but not before brushing her forehead gently with is lips. He was a great father. If only he had been able to raise her. Then he enveloped me in a huge hug, something I expected. It happened every time he went alone. He leaned down to my ear to whisper quietly,

"_If I don't come back, take care of her for me. Dairine, please, promise me, you'll take care of them both!"_ I swore I would. This was our usual goodbye. Nita never knew. I thought nothing of it, of course. If I had, I would have begged him to stay.

That was the last time I heard my brother-in-law's voice when he wasn't in pain, when he wasn't being tortured.

He was supposed to be meeting with a civilized leader of an alien planet. Don't ask me why _I_ wasn't called – _he_ was the Advisory at the time! It was a trap, though. This leader was in an alliance with the Lone Power. They captured him and it surprised me that he wasn't killed right out.

Then again, his torture was the fuel for Nita's attempted rescue. I remembered the call as clearly. I had been trying to comfort my sister about the fact that Kit had not returned after a week.

* * *

**--Flashback--**

"Hello?" I had answered softly. Nita was sleeping for the first time in days and I didn't want to wake her.

"Callahan… it's good to hear from you again," a charming voice replied. It was menacing, frightening – I shuddered. The tone of his voice was all wrong. It was the Lone Power. I was tempted to hang up on him, but that never ended well for anyone. "How is your sister? Dairine, correct?"

"Dairine is fine," I played along, pretending to be Nita for the time being. He thought I was really her! "What do you want?"

"What do I want? My dear, if you aim to survive, you ought to be a lot nicer to me," he chided threateningly. Screams erupted and I nearly dropped the phone. I was frozen in place, gripping the table beside me until my knuckles turned white. Kit's yells were terrifying and tears brimmed my eyes. And he wasn't even my husband!

"What are you doing to him?" It came out as a croak and I pleaded with myself not to let my voice crack.

"You don't really want to know that, do you?" He laughed and for the first time since I picked up the phone, he sounded truly evil "Now, Dairine- yes, I know it's you- go get your sister. Put her on the phone. She should get to hear her precious Kit's last moments, too."

"No!" I yelled as my sister stirred. "No, no, no! You can't do this to him! To her! To _us!_"

"Dairine? What is it?" Nita was alarmed and she held up my body as I shook.

"They have Kit," I managed to whisper before another yell of torture was heard. This time I _did_ drop the phone. It clunked to the ground with an ominous bang. Nita sank to her knees as she sobbed.

"Sh, sh, it'll be okay," I promised, but she only glared.

"Say it in the Speech. Say it!" I couldn't. Things wouldn't be alright, and I knew it. Her sobs grew and I shakily picked up the phone again.

"There you are," he crooned. "For your information, _I'm_ not killing him, not directly. The torture is." I could almost hear his wicked grin and by my sister's face, she could too. "He has a chance, of course. A small one. Very small. You must come. Both of you. Meet us in Manhattan, at the Grand Central worldgate – surely you know of the place? Historic, really. Their Ordeal took place there. If you're not here by five thirty, he'll be in his grave." _Click_.

I took a quick glance at the clock. It was already four.

"Nita! Nita, please, Neets, you _need_ to get up! We can save him!" I shook her hard by the shoulders, forcing her to stand. She gulped and glanced quickly to the baby who was sleeping peacefully nearby. Oh, how I wished I were in her place! "We need to get to Grand Central worldgate. Call someone, anyone! They can take care of Beth! We both need to go!"

**--Flashback--**

* * *

I sighed as I remembered the next few frantic moments. I had called Carmela, since Nita wasn't really capable of talking. As we waited for her to arrive, I set up a beam-me-up-Scotty spell to put to use immediately. We left as soon as we could.

* * *

**--Flashback--**

We ran through the streets of Manhattan, probably looking like lunatics. We had to run - how were to to know if there was a trap or not? It didn't matter to us as we tripped and fell. We just needed to get there. We were running out of time. Ten minutes… five minutes… one minute… and we were there.

The Lone Power smirked at us in his fine pressed tailored suit. We were covered in dirt and grime, our faces stained with tears. Nita clutched her manual tightly and I hugged Spot's computer case to my chest.

The Lone Power spoke softly under his breath in the Speech. I couldn't hear what words were said, what spell was used, but soon we were being pulled, as if by rope. We had to no choice but to go where he commanded us. We struggled, of course, but it was no use. He _was_ a Power, after all.

Eventually, we stumbled into a dark alleyway. Kit was lying on the ground, dirty and scarred. Blood trickled from his head as he gasped for breath. Nita let out a cry and lurched towards him, only to be pulled back harshly by the spell.

"That's not bad," the Lone Power taunted. "Not bad at all. You haven't seen bad." A few more murmured words and my brother-in-law was writhing on the ground in pain. The spells surrounding Nita and I dropped, but we still couldn't move. Kit's screams subsided after what seemed like years. Nita and I inched our way towards him.

We kneeled on the ground, Nita grasping his hand tightly. His breaths came short and farther apart now. He was dying. He had no chance. We all knew it was coming to an end for him. But before he could lose consciousness and life forever, my sister erupted in pain.

The Lone Power smiled. He was never planning on letting them live, I could see that now. And so, I was forced to watch as my family, my sister and the boy that was like a brother to me, died.

"Take care of Beth," Nita whispered, and it hurt to see her in so much pain. "Be her mother. Please."

"I will. I promise."

"I love you, Dairine."

"I love you, too."

At least they died together, fighting the cause of all death. At least they died with adjoined hands.

**--Flashback--**

* * *

"Mom? Why are you crying?" Beth asked me as the train came to a stop. I wiped away the salty tears and claimed it was nothing as I took her hand in mine. We walked together in silence, her watching me and me watching my sister walk away. It was so obvious that they liked each other, even then. I almost laughed.

"Beth, would you like to hear a story?" I asked her quietly when we sat down in the deli I knew that Nita would soon enter.

"Sure," she responded, seemingly happy that I had gotten over my crying spell.

"Well, there once was a boy and a girl-"

"Were they in love?"

"I'm getting to that!" I snuck a glance out the window, and sure enough, here came walking Nita. I lowered my voice so she wouldn't hear me. "So, there was once a boy and a girl. They were friends, and they loved each other very much. But they didn't know they were in love for a very long time. They didn't tell each other for an even longer time after that!"

"They sound stupid," she frowned and I forgot to scold her for saying that out loud. After all, I was thinking the same thing.

"Well, you seem to have gotten the moral of the story down already," I sighed, pretending to be annoyed. "Here's the lesson – when you fall in love with a kid, tell them before it's too late!" She smiled and nodded.

"Does that mean I can go on that date on Saturday?" I mock glared and she giggled. "Alright, then, no. I remember – no dating 'til I'm fifteen."

"You got it." Nita came in and bought a soda, and Kit got a bag of chips. I watched them carefully, willing my eyes not to tear up again.

"Hey, Mom? That story you told me – did you know those two people?"

"Yes," I whispered, barely audible. "I did. Come on, Beth." I gathered my purse and opened up Spot to the time activation spell document that had been given to me especially for this purpose. "Let's go home so I can tell you more about your Mom and Dad."

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**I hope you enjoyed it and didn't get too sad! Feedback is wonderful!**


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